Man held after police seize rifle, 4 other guns

A man who said he was shot at Saturday was later arrested when officers found a cache of weapons, including a gun without a serial number, in his Far South Side home.

Lavonte Powell, 20, faces a felony charge of possessing a firearm with a defaced serial number and city ordinance violations for failing to have firearm registration certificates. He’s being held on $50,000 bail.

Police searched his home in the 9800 block of South Dobson Avenue after finding Powell’s Lexus full of bullet holes at a nearby shooting scene. They traced the car to Powell through the license plate.

Powell told the officers that he was shot at Saturday, but he wouldn't say who opened fire on him. He also told police that he was going to retaliate against the shooter or shooters, but later reconsidered.

Police found Powell’s car just before 4 p.m. Saturday at the shooting scene in the 9700 block of South Woodlawn Avenue. The shooting appeared to be between at least one occupant of the car and at least one person on the street, police said. No injuries were reported.

After investigating at the crime scene, police went to Powell’s home and told him about the shooting. He allowed officers to search the home, where they found five guns and a flack jacket.

The officers confiscated the high-powered gun, an SKS 7.62 rifle equipped with an extended magazine. Police also seized a semiautomatic pistol, two .45-caliber handguns and a 9mm handgun.

One gun had a defaced serial number, a trick criminals use to make weapons harder for law enforcement to trace. Powell told investigators he bought all five guns off the street within the last few years, police said. None of the weapons was reported stolen.

While searching Powell’s home, police saw a man nearby who they say smelled like marijuana. That man, Lamonte T. Powell, was arrested for possessing less than 2.5 grams of cannabis. Lamonte Powell, 20, of East Chicago, Ind., said he is Lavonte Powell’s brother.

Both Powells appeared before Judge Israel Desierto on Sunday. Lamonte Powell, who will appear in court again on Wednesday, was released on a personal recognizance bond. Lavonte Powell will have to post $5,000 to leave custody. He’ll be back in court Friday.